December 8, 2011

It started as a missions endeavor for college students. But by the time the group left on the missions trip, it had grown to include people from 12 to about 60.

Brad Bensinger, Baptist campus minister at Troy University, said an August missions trip initiated by the school’s Baptist Campus Ministries soon became an effort of about 15 people, including university students, families from the local Baptist association and others.

The group traveled to Tuscaloosa to assist with construction and recovery from the April 27 tornadoes that heavily damaged that area of the state.

“We were glad to have found something to do,” Bensinger said.

The group worked on Habitat for Humanity homes, assisted at a distribution center at Cottondale Baptist Church and helped the local school board sort and stock supplies that had been sent to it.

In addition, the group brought with it a trailer loaded with food, supplies and furniture that were given to a rescue mission in Tuscaloosa.

“It was a productive three days,” Bensinger said. “We would like to go back, but nothing (is) planned right now.”

Bensinger, who worked in Tuscaloosa shortly after the tornadoes hit in April, said he could see progress in some areas when he returned in August. But other areas looked almost as if the storms happened just yesterday. (TAB)